得 (de) vs 能 (néng): potential complement vs modal verb
得 (de) and 能 (néng) both can express 'can' in Chinese, but they belong to different grammatical categories. 得 is a potential complement particle attached directly to a verb (often with a resultative or directional complement) to indicate whether the verb can achieve a specific result, while 能 is a modal verb placed before the verb to indicate general ability, permission, or possibility.
Both 得 (de) and 能 (néng) can be translated as 'can', but they operate differently. 得 is a grammatical particle that forms the potential complement (V得/不 + complement), expressing whether the action can achieve a result due to the inherent nature of the action or situation. 能 is a modal verb that indicates ability (learned or inherent), permission, or possibility. The overlap occurs when 能 is used for ability to achieve a result, but only 得/不 complements work in the V+complement structure. Choosing the correct one depends on the sentence structure and what you want to emphasize.
When to use each
Use 得 when expressing the ability to achieve a specific result through a verb-complement structure, such as 看得见 (can see), 听得懂 (can understand), 做得到 (can do). The structure is Verb + 得/不 + Resultative/Directional Complement. It emphasizes whether the result is attainable due to the action itself (e.g., visibility, audibility, achievability). It is also the only way to form negated potential complements (V不+Comp).
得 is a particle, not an independent word; it attaches directly to the verb and is always in neutral tone. The potential complement structure is fixed and cannot be replaced by 能 in many contexts (e.g., 拿得动 'can lift' vs. 能拿动 is possible but less idiomatic).
Use 能 to express general ability (both learned and inherent), permission (like 'may'), or possibility (e.g., 'it is possible that'). Examples: 他能说英语 (He can speak English), 你能帮我吗? (Can you help me?), 今天能下雨 (It might rain today). It is placed before the main verb and can be used with complements, but it does not form a potential complement structure.
能 can sometimes overlap with the potential complement in expressing an ability, but the nuance often differs: 能 focuses on the subject's capability, while 得 focuses on the achievability of the result. For permission, 能 is less direct than 可以; it is more polite in some contexts.
At a glance
| 得 | 能 | |
|---|---|---|
| Grammatical role | Particle (part of verb-complement structure) | Modal verb (independent word) |
| Structure | Verb + 得/不 + Resultative/Directional Complement | 能 + Verb (optionally + Object/Complement) |
| Focus | Achievability of a specific result (inherent or situational) | Subject's ability, permission, or general possibility |
| Negation | Verb + 不 + Complement (e.g., 看不见) | 不能 + Verb (e.g., 不能看见) |
| Scope | Only with complements (resultative, directional, etc.) | Any verb, including those without complements |
Examples
- 得我看得见那座山。Wǒ kàn de jiàn nà zuò shān.I can see that mountain.Potential complement: 看得见 emphasizes that the mountain is visible due to conditions (e.g., no obstruction). 能看见 would also be correct but focuses on ability.
- 能他能说三种语言。Tā néng shuō sān zhǒng yǔyán.He can speak three languages.Modal verb for learned ability; 得 cannot be used here because there is no complement.
- 得这个箱子太重，我拿不动。Zhège xiāngzi tài zhòng, wǒ ná bù dòng.This box is too heavy; I can't lift it.Negative potential complement: 拿不动 = 'cannot lift (result not achieved)'. 不能拿 would mean 'not allowed to lift' or 'unable to lift' but not the same emphasis on result.
- 能你能帮我一下吗？Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yīxià ma?Can you help me for a moment?Permission/ability request; 得 cannot be used in this structure.
- 得他听得懂广东话。Tā tīng de dǒng Guǎngdōnghuà.He can understand Cantonese.Potential complement: 听得懂 indicates ability to comprehend when listening. 能听懂 is also possible but less common for this result emphasis.
- 能今天太晚了，我不能去。Jīntiān tài wǎn le, wǒ bù néng qù.It's too late today; I can't go.Modal verb for inability due to circumstances; 得 complement would be incorrect (no result complement).
Common mistakes
- Using 能 instead of 得 in potential complement structures (e.g., ✗ 我不能看见 instead of 我看不见).
- Using 得 as a modal verb before verbs (e.g., ✗ 他得说英语 instead of 他能说英语).
- Confusing 得 (de) with 得 (děi, 'must') in meaning; the tones and contexts differ.
- Omitting 得/不 in resultative complement structures when expressing ability (e.g., ✗ 我看见 instead of 我看得见).
FAQ
- When do I use 得 vs 能 for 'can see'?
- Use 看得见 when you want to emphasize that something is visible (the result of seeing is achievable), especially after checking visibility. Use 能看见 when focusing on the ability to see in general. Both are correct, but 看得见 is the potential complement form, while 能看见 uses the modal verb. In negations, 看不见 is more common than 不能看见 for 'can't see' (result not achievable).
- Can I always replace 得 with 能 in potential complements?
- No. While many potential complements have a corresponding 能 construction (e.g., 听得懂 → 能听懂), the 得/不 complement is often more natural for emphasizing the result, and some fixed expressions require it (e.g., 来不及 'can't make it in time' has no common 能 version). The potential complement also has a unique negative form (V不+Comp) that is not interchangeable with 不能+Verb.
- What is the difference between 不能 and V不Complement?
- 不能 means 'cannot' in the sense of lack of ability, permission, or possibility (e.g., 我不能去 'I cannot go' due to rules or circumstances). V不Complement means 'cannot achieve a certain result' (e.g., 走不动 'cannot walk further' due to tiredness). The two are not interchangeable when a result complement is involved.